Process of treating regenerated cellulose articles



UNITED STATES .PA'TENT OFFICE.

ALBERT 1). coNLEYALm ELTING c. STILLW'UELL, or BALTIMORE, MARY AND, ASSIGNORS To JAMES P. HOOPER, 0E. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND,

PEocEss OF TREATING REGENERATED cELLULos'E AaTIcEEs,

No Drawing.

silky feel, and added flexibility and suppleness, and for the improvementof the luster thereof, so, as to more closely simulate natural sil L Y i The films or filaments, according to the present invention, may be prepared in any desired Jvay, by subjecting the viscose solution to the action of a suitable setting bath, andthe invention has been found to duce especially favorable results, by treating filaments produced by squirting viscose solution into a hot substantially saturated solution of ammonium sulfate, although threads prepared from viscose by the em ployment of other setting baths may be similarly treated for the improvement thereof. v

. The threads produced by squirting viscose solution into hot ammonium sulfate solution may be then cleaned in a. hot substantially saturated solution of sodium bisulfite'. The articles are then washed in water, and are then subjected, according to the present invention,-to the-action of soluble castor oil and a caustic alkali. [Theregenerated'cellulose structuresmay be first subjected to a bath containing 10%, more or less, of soluble castor oil, which bath may be followed by a bath containing 5%, more or less, of'caustic soda, this again being followed by a 10% solution of the soluble castor oil. Ammonium hydroxid or alkaline earth hydroxid, such as calcium hydroxid or barium hydroxid, and in some instances, borates, or perborates, oxide or peroxids of the alkali or alkaline earth metals, may be used in the place of some or all 'of'the caustic soda. These substances may replace about a chemically equivalent quantity of caustic soda. In case peroxids are used, nascent oxygen is libers ecificgtion of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 15 1921. Applicatiqn filed June 3, 1919. Serial No. 301,568.

ated, which in addition to bleaching, acts to destroy objectionable sulfur compounds remaining. For most purposes, sodium hydroxid or ammonium hydroxid is preferred.

Asa modified procedure, a single solution contalnlng the soluble oil and the alkali hydroxid may be mixed, andthe threads, etc., treated therewith. The process-may also be employed in conjunction with various other processes which have been devised for the treatment of artificial silk.

In the operation of the process, the alkali hydroxid or the alkaline earth metal hydroxid react with the soluble castor oil to produce a soap. The formation of the soap in the pores of, or in the interior of, or while in'contact with the threads, as produced by the alternate subjection to the action of the soluble castor oil bath and the alkaline hydroxid bath (alkali hydroxid or alkaline earth metal hydroxid) has produced rather better results than the use of a mixed bath.

The above description refers particularlyto the employment of soluble castor oil. At-

tention is called, however, to the fact that other soluble oils, particularly soluble fatty oils, may be employed with the production of satisfactory'results. Sulfonated cottonseed oil, s'ulfonated linseed oil, etc., are menoil to produce a soap. to some extent, al-

"though we do not wish to confine the invention to this as being the'only action which takes place. The successive'treatment seems" to give better results than when the alkali and oil are first mixed together, for some reason. l

Having described our invention, we.

2. A process of treating regenerated cellulose structures by subjecting them to alternate baths containing soluble castor oil and sodium hydroxid.

3. process which comprises alternately subjecting regenerated cellulose articles to the action of a bath of solution of soluble fatty oil and a bath of an alkaline hydroxid solut on.

4. A process which comprises subjecting regenerated cellulose articles to the-action of a soluble fatty oil and an alkaline hydroxid.

5. A process which comprises subjecting regenerated cellulose articles to the action of a soluble fatty oil and an alkali hydroxid.

6. A process which comprises subjecting cellulose articles made from viscose, to the action of a solution comprising an alkaline hydroxid and a soluble oil.

7. A process which comprises subjecting regenerated cellulose to the action of a soluble oil and to the action of a solution capable of forming a soap with the soluble oil and containing nascent oxygen.

8. A process which comprises subjecting regenerated cellulose to the action of a soluble oil in water and to the action of a solution of a caustic alkali containing nascent oxygen.

9. A process which comprises subjecting regenerated cellulose to the action of a soluble oil in water and to the action of .a solution containing nascent oxygen.

10. A process which comprlses subjectlng regenerated cellulose to the action of a soluble oil in water and to the action of a solution capable of forming a soap with the soluble oil. I

11. A process of improving regenerated cellulose articles by forming in them a soap caused by the action of an alkali hydroxid upon a soluble oil which has been'previously absorbed by the structure.

12. A product comprising regenerated cellulose articles impregnated with the reaction products of a soluble oil and an alkaline hydroxid. 1

13. A regenerated cellulose structure containing the reaction products of an alkali hydroxid and a soluble fatty oil which have reacted while in contact with the said structure.

14. A regenerated cellulose structure containing the. reaction products of a caustic alkali and soluble castor oil.

15. A process which comprises subjecting regenerated cellulose articles to the action of a solution of soluble castor oil, and to the action of a solution of a caustic alkali.

In testimony whereof We afl'ix our signatures.

ALBERT D. CONLEY. ELTING C. STILLWELL. 

